Adjustable elastic support for concave and flat feet.



J. MAY.

ADJUSTABLE ELASTIC SUPPORT FOR OONOAVE AND FLAT FEET.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 28, 1909.

989,171 Patented Apr. 11-, 1911.

JOSEEPH MAY, OF FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN, GERMANY.

ADJUSTABLE ELASTIC SUPPORT FOR CONCAVE AND FLAT FEET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 28, 1909.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

Serial No. 515,098.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosnPH MAY, a subject of the King of Prussia, and residing at No. 39 Dannecker street, Frankfort-on-the- Main, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Elastic Supports for Concave and Flat Feet.

The subject-matter of my invention is an adjustable, elastic support for concave and flat feet.

It comprises a principal supporting spring and a one or more part draw band arranged under the same for limiting the deflection, said band being provided with a tensioning device for adjusting the height of thearch of the supporting spring. This tensioning device can be fixed to or arranged detachably on the principal spring at one or both places of connection of the draw band. The attaching means provided at these places may be formed simultaneously as tensioning means also. When a divided draw band is used the connectin means between its free, separated ends is formed as tensioning device and the two draw band portions can be attached permanently or detachably to the limbs of the principal spring. In order to transmit their tensioning action to the entire breadth of the principal spring the parts of the draw band can be suitably broadened toward their places of attachment.

In order to allow the attachment means for the tensioning devices or the attachment pins not to project beyond the surface of the principal spring this can be provided at the places in question with impressed recesses for receiving the rivet or screw heads, plates, nuts or the like serving for the. attachment of said devices.

The accompanying drawings represent some embodiments of my invention together with appertaining details by way of eX ample.

In said drawings: Figure l is a longitudinal section on the bent line A-B in Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of an adjustable elastic support having a onepart detachable draw band and attachment pins formed as revoluble and adjustable eccentric members attached in the recesses in the principal spring; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale through the left-hand place of attachment of the pin and draw band, and Fig. 1 a bottom plan view of the latter, whereas Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of an adjustable elastic support having a one-part draw band fixed at one end to one limb of the principal spring, the other end being hung in a rotary slide having slots of difierent lengths arranged on the other limb of the principal spring.

Referring to the drawings, a designates the principal or supporting spring of suitable material, 5 the draw band. The draw band I) has at its outer ends holes or perforations 0 such as are usual for bayonet joints, namely a wider aperture for admitting the pin head or turning the eccentric and connected therewith the narrower slot 0 corresponding to the size of the pin. The attachment pins d according to the illustrative embodiment in Figs. 1 to 4 are attached revolubly around their. central axes in the principal spring a and their central portions surrounded by the ends of the draw band b'are formed as eccentrics 6. Parallel to the direction of the band the eccentrics are somewhat flattened and adapted to the breadth of the slots 0 After the band has been hooked over the pin having its eccentric e in the direction of the slot 0 the flattened portion of the eccentric enters into this slot and prevents the eccentric being unintentionally pushed or turned into another position while the elastic support is in use.

In the position of the eccentric e illustrated in Fig. 1 the principal spring a has the smallest amount of curvature. If this is to be increased, by pressing together the ends of the spring a one eccentric e is brought into the corresponding circular enlargement of the aperture 0, is rotated 180 and by releasing the ends of the spring is allowed to enter into the corresponding slot 0 of the draw band. The edge of the cocentric which was originally directed outwardly now abuts against the draw band and the spring a is curved more than previously since the actual distance of the edge of the eccentric from its center has now become greater but the length of the draw band has remained unchanged. A further increase in the curvature of the spring a is obtained by the other eccentric being turned 180 in the same manner.

The stem of the eccentric will preferably be screwed or riveted to, or made out of one piece with its base plate 6 and placed from above through the principal spring, in which event, however, the bottom head 6 must be specially attached. 7

The larger head 6 of the eccentric can be made detachable in order to admit of all the operative parts being more readily exchanged. Also in suitable instances eccentrics of unequal eccentricity can be em ployed.

Instead of the principal spring being adjusted in height or the draw band being tensioned with the aid of eccentrics, tensioning couplings in the form of revoluble movable slides can be employed as represented in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 5 the coupling is shown as a flat, revoluble slide 71 having an opening is and three slots I 70 k of different lengths proceeding therefrom which are directed toward the center of the arch of the principal spring. The draw band 6 has one end attached firmly to one limb of the principal spring a whereas the revoluble slide 2', is attached to the other limb of the same. In this illustrative embodiment the free end of the band I) has'fixed to it an attachment pin Z which fits into the slots 71: 70 70 According as the free-end of the band carrying the pin is attached in the one or other of these slots the curvature of the principal spring Varies, since the distance between the points of attachment or application of the band is varied by moving the slide, the length of the band remaining constant.

In order that the principal spring a may have on its surface no projecting parts of rivet heads, base plates, nuts or the like which, when the patient uses the support, would disturb and pain him, for receiving the same recesses m are made in the principal spring. These enable the rivet heads, base plates, nuts or the like to be made sufliciently large andstrong in order to guarantee the attachment pins which are brought into the principal spring holding securely and permanently, these attachment parts being able to be individually detachable for the purpose of ready exchangeability.

The herein described elastic support enables even amateurs to adjust readily and to various extents the degrees of curvature of the same as is desired and as is necessary for adaptation to the diflerent degrees of arching of the foot, greatest possible durability being also obtained.

I claim 1. In an adjustable, elastic, foot support, the combination, with a spring plate shaped longitudinally to fit the arch of the foot, of eccentric tensioning attachment means mounted movably on said plate, and a draw band having an elongated aperture at each end detachably engaged by the eccentric portions of said attachment means.

2; In an adjustable, elastic, foot support, the. combination of a, spring plate shaped longitudinally to fit the arch of the foot, said plate having a perforated recess, a

headed pin having an eccentric portion ar- 7 ranged in said plate with its head in said recess, with a draw band having an elongated aperture detachably held by the eccentric portion of said pin.

3. In an adjustable, elastic, foot support, the combination with a spring plate shaped longitudinally to fit the arch of "the foot of a draw band arranged at the concave wall of said springplate, a curved tensioning attachment means revoluble on said spring plate and adapted to hear an end of said draw band.

4. In an adjustable, elastic, foot support, an attachment pin having a laterally fiattened eccentric portion, a base plate and a head, substantially as shown.

In witness whereofI have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH MAY.

I/Vitnesses:

JEAN GRUND, CARL GRUND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D. G. 

